The embodiments described herein relate generally to gaming systems and, more particularly, to gaming systems and methods that provide player rewards.
At least some known gaming systems provide a bonus pool, and provide shares of the bonus pool to one or more actively played gaming machines within the gaming system. For example, at least some of such known gaming systems distribute the bonus pool to gaming machines based on a value of the bonus pool and/or the number of shares obtained using each gaming machine.
Moreover, at least some known gaming systems provide a proportional payout of a progressive jackpot. A system controller receives data representing wager amounts from each of a plurality of gaming machines, and in response, determines a value of the progressive jackpot using a portion of each wager amount. When a winning outcome occurs at one of the gaming machines, the system controller announces the win and pays the winning player a portion of the jackpot based on a predetermined proportional algorithm.
Furthermore, at least some known gaming systems provide incentives to players to play a game that includes at least one winning outcome among a plurality of outcomes. In order for a player to redeem the winning outcome, the player must present the winning outcome at a redemption location, such as a casino. For example, at least some known gaming systems provide an online game to players via the Internet, and require the players to return to a casino to redeem a prize won during play of the online game.